Featured THRIFT STORE FIND - AP POLO SWEATER RELATED TO RALPH LAUREN POLO?

I found this today while hunting thrift stores! At first glance I thought it was a Ralph Lauren Polo sweater & grabbed it! But then I noticed it says AP POLO not RL POLO - is it related to the real polo?
I believe it's handmade but very, very well done (see the 'strings' to tighten hoodie) - if not a RL POLO, does it have any value as a handmade sweater? I know even if it's a knock off - there is a mkt for early and/or good bootleg polo & other designers.
Any help would be appreciated!

 

No tags at all? Not even fabric content?

Debora

 

Could we see backside of stitches, seam joinery and cuff attachment areas. I'm not seeing hand-knit. Close-up of 'string' aglets too.

 

This is a very good first question. Obviously check at the inside neck, but also inside down closer to the waist for any kind of tag at all and if there is one snap a photo. Can be a huge clue.

Wiscbirddog's suggestion of close-ups good, too.

I would totally have grabbed that for resale even if a knock off or homemade. Just to take a chance. Some folks are stupid-crazy for RL polos, you never know what might sell.

 

He does make ones for American Polo:

https://www.ralphlauren.com/s/Ralph...Snxajtr48DawEQUFWnsaAlMCEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

 

Think if it's missing a prominent RL, it's not Lauren.

 

Once I add 'hooded' as a search term, I get only sweatshirts, so sweater is out of the ordinary.

 

I would agree. Without the "RL," it's going to be a knock-off rather than a genuine Ralph Lauren product. That's reinforced by the design which doesn't reflect the brand's classic preppie taste standards. Also, think Ralph Lauren sweaters depict the early flag correctly with 13 stripes, something that wouldn't be of great importance to a Chinese manufacturer.

Debora

 

It's super fun, but I pity the poor guy that found that under the Christmas tree!

 

OK, I took photos of the inside. At first I got excited because I thought it DID have a tag, but it turned out to be a ticket from a dry cleaners (I think).
Also, maybe it isn't hand made because I can't see any loose spots or places where someone started/stopped knitting.
Hope these help.
PS - Any idea of it's value - or what you would ask for it if you put it on eBay?
Thanks again for all the help/info.

 

What about the seam on sleeve to vest?

 

I didn't see a seam or I would have photographed it. I may have to look harder - it has to be there?

 

Waaaaaay over on the bottom left looks like a corner?

 

Wish I could find my images of the Sears yellow parka I had, hand-stamped with multicolor ponytail Barbies!

 

Maybe someone with a knitting machine? I've always wanted one of those gizmos

They crank out cylinders, like these.

 

Not hand knit the old fashioned way, and I've knit a LOT of sweaters. I've never used a knitting machine but highly doubt the end result would look so commercial.

 

I'm not married to knitting machine, but I also can't see a sweater with a Polo typo mass produced - that costs money, and indicates some kind of commercial profit...

Therein lies my dilemma

Maybe it was made for a real live polo team - i dunno.

 

RL polo would have his horse logo on the chest. Ryan who is a big fan of RL Clothes says this is not RL. There is a company called US Polo Association that does clothes too. He thinks it may be theirs. But even those would have a tag in the collar.

 

It looks to be crocheted, rather than knit, which would argue for handmade. I don't think a machine has been invented that can crochet.

 

Commercial knitting machines are computerized & very sophisticated:

http://www.shimaseiki.com/